Harry Winks made 33 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur during a breakthrough 2016-17 campaign, and was a regular in the early months of last season.The England international did not play a Premier League game in the second half of the 2017-18 campaign, however, after picking up an ankle problem which required surgery.Winks only had surgery at the end of May, but returned to the training field earlier this month, and featured against Fulham in the Premier League last time out.The 22-year-old is certainly a popular figure with the Tottenham fans, and many have taken to social media to pay tribute to the 5ft 10in ace.[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255896″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Tottenham’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]Spurs have beaten Newcastle United and Fulham in their first two matches of the new Premier League season, and will be looking to make it three from three when they travel to Manchester United next week.Winks will hope to be involved in the clash at Old Trafford, and the Tottenham supporters are looking forward to watching the midfielder build back to full fitness over the next few months.A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
According to the Daily Express, Tottenham are considering a £10m bid for Kieran Tierney in January after Celtic failed to reach the Champions League group stages, but fans of the Bhoys on Twitter laughed off the news that they would sell perhaps their hottest prospect for so little.
However, the Express does report that Celtic now need to make up a £27m shortfall in income in order to meet Financial Fair Play regulations and that Spurs will come back in with the low-ball offer after originally refusing to pay £20m this summer.
Spurs failed to make a single signing during this summer transfer window, becoming the first team to do so since the system’s introduction in 2003.
Tierney scored three goals and provided an impressive six assists in just 28 Scottish Premiership matches as he helped Celtic to their double treble and has been touted as one of the most promising full-backs in the UK.
At just 21 years old, the Celtic academy graduate already has nine caps for Scotland and is valued at £11.25m by Transfermarkt, but will surely go for more in today’s market. Celtic fans certainly hope so, check out some of their best reactions to the news of the potential Spurs bid below.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”279151″ player=”12034″ title=”Cup Glory At Last For Newcastle”]
According to ESPN, PSG boss Thomas Tuchel is unsure whether French midfielder Adrien Rabiot will be at the French capital next year, and this should be Tottenham’s chance to pounce.
After a lean summer, Spurs should look to the January transfer window as a chance to recruit players in areas that they may be lacking in. The central midfield is an area of concern for some Spurs fans, and Pochettino will want to bolster that area of the field if Spurs are to make a challenge for silverware this season.
With Mousa Dembele’s contract expiring at the end of the season, it is unclear whether the Belgian will be at the club next season. His partner in the midfield, Victor Wanyama, appears to have fallen out of favour with Pochettino after his stellar first season. Persistent injuries last season curtailed the Kenyan’s opportunities to start.
That is why Rabiot (valued at £45m on Transfermarkt.co.uk) would be the ideal replacement. At 6ft 3, the Frenchman is a dominant presence in the centre of the field, something that Pochettino likes. At 23-year-old as well, there is plenty of potential for improvement. He has been a mainstay in the midfield in Paris for the past five season’s but was snubbed by Didier Deschamps for a World Cup place this year. He may be seeking a move to develop his game and break into the French team once more.
PSG will also be keen to sell him in January as well. If he is not to sign a new contract, the French giants will want to make some money from him, rather than seeing him walk out the door for free. This could play into Spurs’ hands, as they may not want to shell huge amounts of money whilst they pay off their stadium.
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Spurs fans showed their displeasure at their club’s uneventful summer, and this January signing would be the perfect remedy to their disappointment. But with Barcelona tracking the French midfielder as well, Tottenham must pounce as quick as possible.
Tottenham Hotspur are now being kept informed about a “phenomenal” Premier League forward, with his club open to a sale during the current window.
Spurs keen on new striker amid attacking woes
Tottenham were booed off after the 1-1 draw against Sunderland on Sunday, which means they now sit 13th in the Premier League table, and it is no surprise, considering another lacklustre attacking display was offered up.
Spurs once again failed to create a significant number of good opportunities, recording an xG of just 1.18 throughout the match, just days after putting in a disappointing display against Brentford, which former midfielder Jamie O’Hara criticised.
Something clearly needs to change, with Thomas Frank either needing to implement a more attractive brand of football, or to strengthen his squad in the current transfer window.
The Lilywhites have already set out to sign a new winger, identifying the likes of AS Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche and RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande as potential targets, and they are also looking at bringing in a new centre-forward.
That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Tottenham are one of a number of clubs to have enquired about Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen, and they are now being kept informed about the striker’s situation.
Wolves are now willing to sanction Strand Larsen’s departure for a fee of £40m this month – £20m less than their previous price tag – given that his value is likely to drop further at the end of the season, with Rob Edwards’ side almost certain to be relegated from the top flight.
Crystal Palace, Everton and Fulham are also being notified about the Norwegian, alongside Newcastle United, so there could be widespread competition for his signature.
"Phenomenal" Strand Larsen needs fresh start
The Old Gold have amassed just six points all season in the Premier League, and their striker has failed to make an impact, having only found the back of the net on one occasion.
However, the 24-time Norway international has proven he is capable of delivering in the top flight, netting a very respectable 14 goals in 35 games to help fire Wolves to safety in the 2024-25 campaign.
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With his side staring down the barrel of relegation, the centre-forward needs a fresh start, and his goal record indicates he would be able to kick on elsewhere, while Vitor Pereira also dubbed his former striker “phenomenal” earlier this year.
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That said, it would be a gamble to sign Strand Larsen, considering his current form, and Richarlison has impressed at times this season, netting seven Premier League goals.
With Dominic Solanke potentially in line to return before the end of the month too, signing a new striker may not be the number one priority, and £40m would be a lot to pay for a player who has struggled throughout the current campaign.
It could be argued that Manchester United’s recent triumph over Newcastle United came almost in spite of Ruben Amorim’s substitutions, with Casemiro not the only one left rather incredulous by the Portuguese’s selection decisions.
Indeed, replacing Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw with just minutes left to play appeared a particularly bizarre move, as did the decision to withdraw the ageing Brazilian on the hour mark.
At a time when an already light midfield unit has been further depleted by the loss of Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes to injury, making such an alteration could have proved costly, even with Amorim highlighting the need for ‘freshness’ in that second-half.
The gamble did, in a way, pay off as the hosts clung on at Old Trafford, but the sight of a midfield pairing of teenager Jack Fletcher and the struggling Manuel Ugarte should be enough to force INEOS into the market next month.
Ugarte, in particular, appears in need of replacing if United are to kick on under Amorim’s watch.
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For the first time in eight attempts, the Red Devils won a game with Ugarte in the starting lineup, with that unfortunate record highlighting just why the Uruguayan has become such a maligned figure among the Old Trafford faithful.
A starter in just four Premier League games this season, the 24-year-old is yet to find his groove in Manchester even after reuniting with his former Sporting CP boss, having even reportedly been given a dressing down by Amorim in front of teammates at the end of last season.
Such is his lowly standing, reports have indicated that INEOS would be open to offers for Ugarte in the New Year, with the club hierarchy intent on overseeing a midfield overhaul in 2026.
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The likes of Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton remain leading long-term targets, yet if Amorim desires a quick fix, then Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher might just be the man.
According to reports in Spain, the Red Devils are ‘seriously considering’ whether to make a move for the ex-Chelsea star, having had the 25-year-old on their radar for some time.
As per the report, United have been made aware of the type of offer it would take to prise the Englishman from the Spanish capital, with Atleti having set an asking price of €30m (£26m).
Why Gallagher would be the perfect Ugarte upgrade
As stated above, United might be setting their sights higher ahead of next summer, but the current midfield woes simply need resolving, hence why a Premier League-proven figure like Gallagher is a must.
Ugarte, after watching on for much of the campaign, has been given his chance in recent weeks, but he simply hasn’t taken it.
Against Aston Villa, for instance, he was replaced late on having won just seven of his 14 ground duels, while being dribbled past twice.
Against Newcastle, meanwhile, he lost possession on 12 occasions, while having been dribbled past three times up against the likes of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.
Ugarte – vs Villa & Newcastle
Stat
Villa
Newcastle
Minutes
73
90
Touches
44
63
Key passes
0
1
Pass accuracy
84%
73%
Dribbles
1/1
2/2
Ground duels
7/14
8/15
Aerial duels
1/1
0/1
Possession lost
7
12
Dribbled past
2
3
Stats via Sofascore
An upgrade then is a necessity for INEOS heading into January, with Gallagher the type of bargain option who could slot in nicely, possessing all the same running power as Ugarte, but with far greater end product to go with it.
Hailed as a “warrior” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Atleti star has scored three times this season so far, taking his total tally to 14 goals and assists in 75 games since joining Diego Simeone’s side back in 2024.
That move had come despite arguably enjoying his finest season at Chelsea the year prior, ending 2023/24 with 16 goals and assists for the Blues under Mauricio Pochettino.
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Previously described by talkSPORT’s Tony Cascarino as like “N’Golo Kante with goals”, Gallagher is the true all-rounder, notably ranking in the top 6% of European midfielders for non-penalty goals per 90, as per FBref, as well as in the top 3% for interceptions.
Ugarte, for instance, does rank in the top 1% for tackles, although it is the other side of his game that is found wanting, having ranked in just the top 37% for non-penalty goals.
That difference in quality can also be seen by how Gallagher betters the South American in a string of metrics per 90, including progressive carries (1.97 vs 0.78), touches in the opposition box (2.97 vs 0.78) and pass completion (88% vs 84.8%), again highlighting why he is the superior box-to-box asset.
Ugarte, a player who has scored just six career goals in all at senior level, is merely a steady Eddie, lacking that genuine quality that is needed to thrive in a Premier League midfield.
Gallagher might not be perfect, but he’d certainly be a class above, if United are able to secure a knock-down next month.
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